Series: Youth for Jesus
Number: Vol. 8, No. 46
“Show proper respect to everyone…” (1Peter 2:17NIV)
What is Peter’s main instruction to us in our opening text? It is that we are to show proper respect to everyone. That means there is no one that doesn’t deserve to be respected.
Actually, many of us hardly find it hard to respect those who are older than us, who are senior to us at work or in school, who are occupying more important positions than us in life, who are far richer than us or who appear to be more serious in spiritual things than us. But when we are dealing with those that we consider to be inferior to us in any way, we don’t want to treat them with respect. And that is because we don’t see them as deserving our respect.But the Spirit of God through Peter is telling us that everyone in this life deserves respect, to one degree or the other. What we need to learn, as we deal with each person that comes our way, is how to properly respect them without putting ourselves down.
So, even if someone is not up to your class, according to human standards, you should still see him as deserving to be respected. That is because even though you may appear to be better or greater than him in all ways, according to human standards, he is still a human being that has been created in the image of God. And for that reason alone, you ought to relate to him with respect. (Cf. Gen 1:26-28; James 3:9-10)
In addition, it will be hard, if not impossible, to find someone in this life that you are better or greater than in all ways. That is because there will always be something others have that you don’t have. Therefore, they also deserve to be respected by you.
For example, even though Jesus Christ is Lord over all the creation of God, He still showed proper respect to the various people He related to in life. As we are shown in the bible, He showed proper respect to His parents, being submissive to them (Luke 2:51). Also, when certain people came to collect the temple tax from Him and Peter, He showed them respect by paying, even though it was not something He should be paying as Lord over everything. Why? It was because He knew that doing so would not diminish Him in any way; it would not change His status as the Lord of everyone and everything. (Cf. Matt 17:24-27)
In like manner, showing people adequate respect will not diminish you in life; it will not stop you from being who and whatever God has already made you. Rather, it will open more and greater doors for God’s favour and honour for you. Also, by doing so other people can learn humility from you.When Solomon’s mother, Bathsheba, once came to visit him in his palace, he got up from his throne to pay her respect. Did that change his status as a great and powerful king? No! Also, when Moses’ father-in-law, Jethro, came to pay him a visit in the wilderness, he went to meet him and bowed down to greet him. And did that diminish him in any way? Did it change his status as a great prophet of God? No! (Cf. Ex 18:5-7; 1Kings 2:19)
Therefore, wherever you are or go, learn to treat those you meet with respect. You may not know much about people when interacting with them. But by showing them some respect in the way you address and relate to them, you may just be laying a foundation for a better future relationship with them.
That way, if you should later find them to be higher than you in life, according to human standards, you will not be sorry that you did not treat them well on your first encounter. Or else, your apology may not be able to change their minds about you. And if they should be the ones to find out that you are higher than them in life, based on human classifications, they will be readily willing to show you respect, learning humility from you.So, don’t let it distress you to show people, old or young, rich or poor and known or unknown, proper respect. It won’t diminish you. It will only raise your value before God and man.
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